A wish for a better world
F or centuries newspapers have strived to make this a better world. Not all newspapers see the world alike, but a role of papers is to help people better understand each other and hopefully find common ground on which they can agree.
We live in very troubled times today. Never in our history, have we not only found so much to disagree upon, but so strongly disagree. Those disagreements and the forces trying to push people apart are the strongest they have been in modern times. It is scary.
If there is one wish in this final editorial from an old editor, it is we do find a way to settle our differences and once again respect each other and each other’s opinions.
To start, there is really no right and wrong. We must begin with that assumption and then work through the disagreements. There are no doubt groups and forces who would rather see us torn apart. We are not sure why so many people seem intent on tearing this nation apart and what their motivation might be, but don’t fool yourself, they are out there and they are getting far too much attention.
The recent events, most since Nov. 8, have been pushed by people with the wrong agenda and those people are being followed by far too many people. Those people have advocated for the overthrow of our government, for some people being exterminated and others silenced. The strong effort to silence free speech is frightening and should it prevail, then this nation is done. Without the ability to speak one’s mind and disagree out load, all those disenfranchised have left is anarchy. We are seeing that today from all sides.
America is a melting pot and has been the greatest nation in the world for more than 200 years. It is America others look up to, but not today. Some will blame President Trump. Some will blame the media. Some will blame the alt-left and others the alt-right. They might all be right, but doesn’t the buck stop with the American people? We do not feel the majority of Americans are as upset and willing to topple a government as some of those we see marching in the streets. We do not feel the majority of Americans are represented here and we hope, that majority begins to exert their influence — not for one side or another, but to calm people down so we can have a decent debate and come to some agreements.
American is in self-destruct mode and if this old editor has one last wish it is that we find a way out of this and begin to get along as one nation with free speech and the right to disagree.
Editorials in The Porterville Recorder are the opinion of the editorial board which consists of Publisher Rick Elkins and the managing editor. Other columns, letters and cartoons on this page express the opinions of the authors and not necessarily of The Recorder.